The five chamber works on the present disc all show the essence
of the music of Francis Poulenc. The duality of his character
is conveyed as episodes of neo-classical frolic and expressive
Romantic melodies are followed by pages of deep melancholy.
Also, as is so often the case in French music, these poles are
not segregated. So in the middle of a slow movement Poulenc
usually puts a merry faster section, and vice versa. In the
midst sadness there’s a smile, and behind laughter lies sadness.
The works are inevitably somewhat similar, since Poulenc’s style
is very distinct. Also the works share the structure: fast–slow–fast,
except the Oboe Sonata whose pattern is inverted. But
the music is so rich melodically and emotionally, that listening
to the entire disc is not boring. On the contrary the works
together form a big and bright picture, a meadow of flowers
instead of one flower. This experience can be compared to listening
to a set of Haydn piano trios.

The performances are excellent. The winds are perfectly blended
and balanced; they all display brilliant virtuosity, not marred
by even a single weak passage. The piano of Tim Horton is the
solid base for everything. It has weight and eloquence, and
is an equal partner in the sonatas. The sound of each instrument
is beautiful. The clarinet seems more on the hard side, which
leads to a certain shrillness in the tutti of the Sextet;
but this works surprisingly well for the Clarinet Sonata,
whose slow movement now sounds like a person telling his story,
not like the “pure mood” of some softer readings. I was surprised
but I liked it a lot.

An important feature of these performances is the constant momentum.
No, there is no unnecessary hurry – for example, the first movement
of the Flute Sonata is not rushed, and comes out gentle
and expressive. But in the slow episodes the forward movement
of the music is very noticeable. Again, I was surprised how
well it works. The music obtains some restlessness, but without
impatience, very fitting to the hyperactive personality of the
faster parts. In each case the performers find the perfect edge,
such that the music has impetus, yet it keeps its mesmerizing
charm. It is certainly helped by the expressiveness of the playing.
So, the slow movement of the Flute Sonata does not lose
its melancholic glow, but its cantilena becomes more absorbing.
The middle episode of the first movement of the Clarinet
Sonata is perfectly mysterious, and the slow movement, though
unusually fast, is very beautiful.

The performers evince a good understanding of what the composer
wanted to say. All contrasts are well pronounced. For example,
in the first movement of the Sextet, the opening and
closing are deliberately very “noisy”, but then the middle episode
comes as soft Romantic balm. The playing of faster episodes
is energetic and bouncy, crisp and clear – which is helped by
the lucid recording.

If you do not know this music, believe me that it is well worth
exploring. If you only know the Clarinet or Flute
Sonata, be assured that the other works share its high musical
level and are as rewarding. If you know these works, this is
an excellent collection of all of them under one roof, which
helps you to avoid disc-changing runs when you are in the Poulenc
mood. Finally, there are other recordings of the same set of
works – such as the Decca 1989, with Pascal Rogé on the piano
and a constellation of wind players like Patrick Gallois. The
new recording can proudly stand the comparison. Probably, both
of these sets can be recommended as first choice. The Decca
has a more relaxed Clarinet Sonata – but, as I said,
due to the expressivity of Matthew Hunt’s clarinet, the “harder”
approach works wonders. I prefer the acoustic of the new recording:
it is closer with the music is put more on display. In the Trio,
the positions of the instruments in space are better defined,
which for me increased the enjoyment. Also I favour the new
Sextet: when the composer changes the combinations of
the instruments, the colours are changed, and these effects
are brought out to better effect by Ensemble 360, which is more
entertaining. As for the emotional frankness, the liveliness
of the tempi, the blending of the voices, the cohesion of ensembles,
and the fun that the performers are having and conveying to
the listener – Ensemble 360 contends with the best. These are
ideal performances for this wonderfully buoyant music

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